Melina Kanakaredes

Melina Kanakaredes Constantinides (Greek: Μελίνα Ελένη Κανακαρίδη Κωνσταντινίδη; born April 23, 1967)^[1] is a Greek-American actress. She is widely known for her roles in American primetime television dramas as Dr. Sydney Hansen in Providence (1999–2002), as Detective Stella Bonasera in CSI: NY (2004–2010), and on the American daytime television drama series Guiding Light as Eleni Andros Cooper (1991–1995).

Melina Kanakaredes
Kanakaredes in Ohio, 2009
Born	(1967-04-23) April 23, 1967 (age 58) Akron, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater	Point Park College (B.A., Theatre, 1989)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1991–present
Spouse	Peter Constantinides ​ ​ (m. 1992)​
Children	2

Early life

Melina Kanakaredes was born in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of Connie (née Temo), a candy company owner, and Harry Kanakaredes, an insurance salesman.^[2] She is a second-generation Greek-American and speaks Greek fluently.^[3] Her two maternal uncles own and run a candy store in Akron called Temo's Candy Company, a chocolate store established in its current location by Kanakaredes's grandfather, Christ Temo.^[4]

At age eight, Kanakaredes made her stage debut in a production of Tom Sawyer at Weathervane Playhouse in Akron, Ohio.^[5] She graduated from the Firestone High School in Akron.^[6] She attended The Ohio State University for a short time, and then transferred to Point Park College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she performed roles in the professional theatre scene there, including the role of Mary Magdalene in Jesus Christ Superstar at Pittsburgh Musical Theater.^[7] She graduated from Point Park in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater arts.^[8]

Career

Television

Kanakaredes' first television role was on the daytime drama Guiding Light, originating the role of Eleni Andros Cooper from 1991 to 1995. She was nominated twice for a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Eleni. At the 21st Daytime Emmy Awards in 1994, she was nominated for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series and at the 22nd Daytime Emmy Awards the following year, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Kanakaredes' most high-profile roles on television were as the series protagonist Dr. Sydney Hansen on Providence, which ran for five seasons between 1999 and 2002, and as Det. Stella Bonasera on the CBS drama series CSI: NY. Kanakaredes left CSI: NY in 2010, after six seasons on the program.^[9]

Other television credits include NYPD Blue (in a recurring role as reporter Benita Alden during that show's second season), Due South, Oz, The Practice, MTV's The Ben Stiller Show, a Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation of the Anne Tyler novel Saint Maybe, and Dr. Lane Hunter on the Amy Holden Jones TV series The Resident. She has also begun to voice act in the animated series Blood of Zeus.

Film

Kanakaredes's film appearances include The Long Kiss Goodnight as Trin and 15 Minutes as Nicolette Karas, the girlfriend of Robert De Niro's character Eddie Flemming. She was considered for the lead role of Toula Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding but had to turn it down due to her pregnancy.^[10] She played the role of the Greek goddess Athena in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief and starred in the 2013 drama Snitch alongside Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Stage

Subsequent to and while earning her BFA, Kanakaredes worked in theater, and her stage work includes: Sally Bowles in the 1998 revival of Cabaret and My Child: Mothers of War (2015).^[11][12][13]

Personal life

Kanakaredes married Peter Constantinides^[14] on September 6, 1992.^[15][16] Together, they have two daughters: Zoe (b. 2000) and Karina Eleni (b. 2003).^[14] She and her husband, a former restaurant consultant,^[14] owned the Tria Greek Kuzina in Powell, Ohio, but it has since closed.^[17]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1987	Carts		Short film
1994	Bleeding Hearts	Daphne
1996	The Long Kiss Goodnight	Trina 'Trin'
1999	Dangerous Beauty	Livia
1998	Rounders	Barbara
2001	15 Minutes	Nicolette Karas
2010	Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief	Athena
2013	Snitch	Sylvie Collins

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1991–1995	Guiding Light	Eleni Andros Cooper	Main cast
1995	Due South	Victoria Metcalf	3 episodes
1995	New York News	Angela Villanova	13 episodes
1995	NYPD Blue	Benita Alden	5 episodes
1997	Leaving L.A.	Libby Galante	6 episodes
1997	The Practice	Andrea Wexler	Episodes: "First Degree", "Sex, Lies and Monkeys"
1998	Oz	A.D.A. Marilyn Crenshaw	Episode: "Great Men"
1998	Saint Maybe	Rita	Movie
1999–2002	Providence	Dr. Sydney Hansen	Lead role
2004	CSI: Miami	Detective Stella Bonasera	Episode: "MIA/NYC Nonstop"
2004–2010	CSI: NY		Lead role 140 Episodes
2005	Into the Fire	Catrina Hampton/Sabrina Hampton	Movie
2015	Hawaii Five-0	Special Agent Kathy Millwood	Episode: "Nanahu"
2015	Extant	Dorothy Richter	5 episodes
2016	Notorious	Dana Hartman	2 episodes
2018	The Resident	Dr. Lane Hunter	Main role, season 1 Guest star, season 2 (15 episodes)
2020	Blood of Zeus[18]	Ariana	Original Netflix anime series (2 episodes)
2023	Billions	Nancy Dunlop	Episodes: "The Owl", "Axe Global" and "Admirals Fund"
2025	NCIS	Eleni Kostakis	Episode: "Baker's Man"

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	CSI: NY	Det. Stella Bonasera (voice)	Video game

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Work	Result
1994	Daytime Emmys	Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series	Guiding Light	Nominated
1995	Daytime Emmys	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series		Nominated
2000	TV Guide Awards	Favorite Actress in a Drama[citation needed]	Providence	Won

See also

• List of Greek Americans